Ausable Wulff

Developed by Fran Betters on the Ausable River in New York's Adirondack Mountains, the Ausable Wulff is both a match for large Isonychia and Hexagenia hatches and a general attractor across North America. Its rusty orange body, white calftail wings, and mixed hackle float it high in the roughest pocket water. Betters designed the rusty-amber body color to match the natural insects emerging from the tea-stained Ausable.

Type: dry fly (Mayfly)
Hook sizes: #10–14
Target species: trout
Difficulty: intermediate
Best seasons: spring, summer, fall

Materials

hook: Dry fly hook #10–14
thread: Fluorescent orange 6/0
tail: Moose mane or woodchuck guard hair
body: Australian opossum or rusty-amber dubbing
wing: White calftail, upright and divided
hackle: Brown and grizzly, mixed, 4–5 turns

Tying steps

Mount a size 10–14 hook; start fluorescent orange thread and tie in a moose mane or woodchuck hair tail.
Dub a robust, rusty-amber body of Australian opossum or substitute from bend to the 2/3 mark.
Stack white calf tail; tie in upright and divide into two wings with figure-eight wraps.
Post-wrap each wing base to stand wings perpendicular.
Tie in brown and grizzly hackles behind the wings.
Wind 4–5 turns of hackle behind and in front; tie off and build a neat head.
Whip finish and cement.
Check wings are upright and diverge at 45 degrees — figure-eight thread wraps between the wings must be firm enough to hold this angle under hard casting.